2012/13 Premier League: Flop XI

The end of the Premier League season usually sparks a wave of backslapping and congratulation with Best This of the Year and Best That – it’s all far too cheerful for GMF.

Our next fix of genuine glistening Premier League goodness doesn’t come until August and GMF is completely miserable, Internet surfers.

In light of this misery, GMF have decided to stink the place out and go against the congratulatory grain with a selection of players from the 2012-13 Premier League season that have been as thoroughly disappointing as GMF feels at the present time.

This is not any old list of crap players, oh no, GMF would just name a load of players from the relegated teams if that were the case.

These are the men that are considered at the top of their respective games, players that were expected to maintain towering standards set previously and let us down, for whatever reason.

So, here we have GMF’s Premier League 2012-13 Flops XI…

GK – Joe Hart, Manchester City

England number one and one of the stand out performers from Manchester City’s title-winning team last season, Hart has just not been at the races this year. High profile blunders have been aligned with a more general uncertainty that was not evident previously.

LB – Benoit Assou-Ekotto, Tottenham Hotspur

GMF thought the past two seasons had seen the end of the complacency that so undermined the Cameroon international. Poor decision-making has joined the concentration issues and it has culminated in talk of him being shipped out, which is a shame because he seems a very likeable individual.

RB – Bacary Sagna, Arsenal

Two broken legs might have something to do with it, but there is no denying that one of the most reliable players in the Premier League just hasn’t been it this season. Talk of a transfer could see the end of a very good career at Emirates Stadium.

CB – Thomas Vermaelen, Arsenal

Another Gunner in the firing line; things got so bad for the Belgium international that Arsene Wenger took the drastic step of dropping him after the defeat at White Hart Lane. We haven’t seen much of Vermaelen since and he is another being tipped for a summer departure.

CB – Vincent Kompany, Manchester City

Skipper of the Etihad Stadium outfit, Kompany was as important as any other player to their title glory last season. A likeable, articulate and intelligent man – an atypical footballer in many ways – the Belgian international looked short of confidence all season. Usually so assured, it was sometimes difficult to see his game threaded with uncertainty, though his injuries probably didn’t help.

LM – Adam Johnson, Sunderland

It never really worked out for him at Manchester City but it was hoped he might rediscover some of the form that made him an England international after a few months with the Black Cats. It didn’t happen and Sunderland were eventually dicing with relegation until the last couple of games of the season.

RM – Antonio Valencia, Manchester United

The Ecuadorian was one of the players of the year last season and his attacking drive was a sight to behold. Disappointingly, there has been no repeat this time around and Valencia has looked a man lost, unable to find his best form.

CM – Yaya Toure, Manchester City

Usually remembered as a colossus in the Citizens midfield, Toure has failed to impose himself consistently this season, which is a crying shame. The Ivorian in full flow is a sight to behold – it’s disappointing we haven’t beheld it much this season.

CM – Anderson, Manchester United

It has never really got going for the Brazilian at Old Trafford, but last season there were more than a few occasions where he showed a level of performance that surpassed anything he had shown in the past. There were hopes he may have made a breakthrough and would turn some of his vast promise into product. It didn’t happen.

CF – Emmanuel Adebayor, Tottenham Hotspur

Perhaps GMF is naïve for thinking the Togolese was ready to show some consistency after securing a permanent deal, but he was so good last season in helping take Spurs to fourth there was genuine belief he was ready to step up. Sadly, the old criticisms came back to haunt him and a return of five Premier League goals all season is a bona fide flop.

CF – Nikica Jelavic, Everton

David Moyes late last season admitted on the BBC’s Football Focus show to having misgivings about signing the Croatia international from Rangers, until he was convinced by one of his coaches David Weir. Moyes probably should have trusted to his instinct because Jelavic has even looked as much a shadow of the player that took the Premier League by storm after joining in January.

Who would you have in the Premier League Flop XI? Leave a comment below to let us know…

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